Our History

January 1896

Church Petition

1896

Eight local men petitioned Bishop Patrick Donahue to build a church on the outskirts of Wheeling.

June 1897

Construction Begins

1897

Church was dedicated with Reverend C.J. Cluser as Pastor. The parish was composed of twenty-eight families. Much of the labor that went into the construction of the church was performed by parishioners.

July 1897

Bishop Donahue offered the first Mass.

July 4th, 1897

Inside of the old church decorated for Christmas in 1901.

June 1900

Marist Fathers were invited as parish staff.

1900

Parish Transferred to Diocesan control.

1982

June 1926

Land Aquired

Late 1920s

The parish was able to acquire a parcel of land on National Road.

June 1929

New School Built on that parcel of land.

1929

June 1930

School Opened

January 14th, 1930

Sisters of the Divine Providence staffed the school until it was transferred over to lay control.

June 1950

Ground Broken for building of a new church.

August, 1950

June 1951

Church Construction Complete

1951

St. Michael Church is considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese.